Screw driver



Patented Jan. 7, 1941 Umrn STATES 2,227,466 solmw DRIVER Walter G. Range, Oakland, Calif., assignor to H. J. J. 00., Oakland, Calif., a partnership Application March 7, 1938, Serial No. 194,243

1 Claim. This invention relates to screw drivers, and is concerned more particularly with the provision of til tilt

an improved screw driver which is adapted to retaln a screw on the screw-driver bit.

It is a general object of the invention to provide an improved screw driver of the screw retaining type.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved screw driver which will hold a screw during either insertion or removal of a screw.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved screw driver of the character referred to which can be adjusted to screw retaining position by a simple pushing engagement of the screw-driver bit with the screwhead.

Other objects will appear from the following description of certain preferred embodiments thereof taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which a Fig. l is an elevational view of a screw driver embodying my invention, with the handle partially shown in section.

Fig. 2 is a second elevational view of the screw driver, with the bit shown in section as indicated by the line Z--2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view of the screw driver with the bit adjusted to screw retaining position.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary elevational View, partly in section, of a second form of screw driver .embodying my invention.

Fig. 5 is an elevational view, partly in section,-

of a third form of a screw driver embodying my invention.

Fig. 6 is a second view of the screw driver shown in Fig. 5, the sectional portion of the view being taken in the planeof the line 65 in Fig. 5.

Fig. '7 is a sectional view of a fourth screw driver embodying my invention.

The screw driver of my invention comprises generally a handle and a bit connected for relative endwise movement, the bit being constructed to expand within the screw slot to grip and hold a screw on the bit in response to pushing engageinent thereof with the screwhead.

Referring to Figs. 1-3, the screw driver may comprise a handle H) which is preferably formed of tubing, and with respect to which a screwdriver bit or head II is slidably engaged for relative endwise movement. Head ll comprises opposite similar resilient bit sections [2 formed integrally at the outer end of a body or bar portion it which is slidably engaged within tube l and has its movement relative thereto controlled by a pair of pins It and I having their ends secured in tube It! and extending through tapered slot [6 provided between bit sections l2. Pins l4 and I5 serve to keep the parts in assembled condition as well as providing the drive' connection between the tube and the screw-driver bit. Con- 5 trol rod I! of the head is pressfitted in body l3 at one end and has its other end slidably supported in formed end ill of the tube.

Preferably, head II is formed from bar stock by turning to the desired shape and size to pro- 10 vide the desired tapered surfaces at the end in which hit sections I! are formed, after which slot I6 is cut to provide the flat inner surfaces of the bit sections, and the tapered side surfaces may be machined to provide the desired thick ness at the ends of bit sections l2. Preferably, the taper of the outer surfaces of the bit sections l2 terminate substantially parallel to the inner surfaces thereof defining slot it as seen in Fig. 1. Subsequently, bit sections H are bent or formed inwardly to the relatively positions shown in Fig. 1 with the outer ends thereof engaged, and providing the desired taper for the walls of slot l6. After hardening, the head II is then ready for assembly in the screw driver. outer tapered flat surfaces of bit sections It. may be formed by grinding after the hardening operation.

In use, bit sections it are engaged with the slot of a screw and the screw and screw driver are pushed towards each other, whereby screwdriver head li telescopes within tube ill, and pin 15 cooperating with the converging inner cam surfaces of bit sections it urges the sections apart so that the ends thereof resiliently engage the walls of the screw slot. In Fig. 3, bit sections it have been moved to the left relative to tube it from the positions shown in Fig. 1, and pin it has urged bit sections l2 apart so that the ends thereof engage the walls of slot IQ of screw 20 to hold it firmly on the screw driver.

The embodiment shown in Fig. 4 is similar to that of Figs. 1-3, and includes handle or tube Ill, head H having resilient bit sections l2 forming slot I6 therebetween in the same manner as in Figs. 1 and 2. Wedge or cam segment 25 is disposed within slot [6 and is secured in tube H) by 'pins 26 with the taper thereof cooperatively related to the converging wall surfaces of slot I6. Thus, wedge 25 also serves to cam bit sections I2 outwardly upon pushing engagement of a screw with the screw driver. This construction is preferred for larger size screw drivers.

Figs. 5 and 6 disclose a construction particularly useful for small size screw drivers. This If desired, the 25 tions apart upon pushing engagement of a screw with the bit sections 33.

It will be observed that the pin means, shown in Figures 1 through 6 inclusive, are mounted within the tube transversely thereof at a location spaced from the adjacent end of the tube so as to extend through the slot between the resilient bit sections. The pin means are so cooperatively related to the bit sections as to engage the latter only along portions of the sections spaced at a substantial distance from their screw engaging tip end portions. Thus, only the tip end portions 01' the resilient bit sections are engageable within the slot of a screw. v

The screw driver shown in Fig, '7 is similar in function to the above described screw driver in retaining a screw by expansion of opposed bit sections with a screw slot. The screwdriver comprises tube. or handle 40 having slotted bit 4| secured therein as by a screw 42.. Bit 4] is slotted transversely to provide opposed bit sections and is apertured to receive pointed cam end 43 of adlusting rod 4.4 which extends through tube 40 and has head 45 adjustably threaded in the tube. Thus, by turning head 45, cam end 43 can be forced between the bit sections to expand such sections into gripping engagement with the screw slot.

While I have shown and described certain preferred embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that further modifications and variations can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the claim appended hereto.

I, therefore, claim as my invention:

In a screw driver, a handle comprising a tube; a screw-driver head telescopically engaged with said tube for free sliding movement therein, said head comprising opposed resilient bit sections connected at one pair of adjacent ends within said tube and having their opposite projecting screw-engaging ends normally engaged to provide an elongated slot between said sections converging toward said screw-engaging ends, said screw-engaging ends having their projecting portions unsupported exteriorly of said tube and forming the sole means for engagement within' the slot of a screw; means for spreading said bit sections, for constraining the head and handle to rotate together, and for limiting relative longitudinal movement of the handle and head to prevent entrance of any part between the screw-engaging tip end portions of said bit sections whereby only said screw-engaging tip end portions can enter the screw slot and engage the side walls of said slot resiliently, said means including pin means mounted in said'tube transversely thereof at a location spaced from the adjacent end of said tube and extending through said slot, said pin means being cooperatively related to said sections to engage said sections only along portions of the sections spaced a substantial distance from their screw-engaging tip end portions and to effect spreading of said screw-engaging ends upon pushing engagement of a screw therewith and to provide the drive-transmitting connection between said handle and said bit sections; and an extension of said head extending through said tube and through the other end thereof for restoring said bit sections to screw-engaging position by pushing said extension relative to said tube.

' WALTER G. RUNGE. 

